Heritage trailblazers scoop £10,000 Magnox funding

Cwm Penmachno Community Action Group has been awarded £10,000 Magnox socio-economic scheme funding from Trawsfynydd Site to implement the Snowdonia Slate Trail project.

The 85-mile trail across some of Snowdonia’s wild and dramatic landscape starts at Porth Penrhyn near Bangor and passes through Llanllechid, Bethesda, Llanberis, Waunfawr, Nantlle, Rhyd Ddu, Beddgelert, Croesor, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Penmachno, Capel Curig, Betws-y-Coed and back to Bethesda. Walkers will experience the legacy of the slate industry that shaped the culture, language and economy of North Wales such as remote barracks and huge mountains of slate waste.

Martin Moore, Closure Director for Trawsfynydd Site, commented: “The nuclear industry has been a part of the local community for nearly 60 years, providing employment and development opportunities for generations of people in the area. We are delighted to celebrate an industry that goes back even further back than we do, and to share the achievements of those who worked in the slate industry. We feel it is a fitting tribute to support the Snowdonia Slate Trail with Magnox socio-economic funding, from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, to help mitigate the impact of Trawsfynydd decommissioning on the community.”

Magnox support is focused on educational activities involving five primary schools within the power station’s catchment. Project Co-ordinator, Anita Daimond, said: “It’s been wonderful to take hundreds of pupils out on field trips to quarry sites where they’ve learnt about their local environment and cultural heritage, discovered a geocache and undertook creative activities with local artist Julie Williams. Each school group will create their own geocache for treasure hunting walkers to find along their journey over the next few weeks.”

Aled Owen, Project Manager, added: “Cwm Penmachno Community Action Group is grateful to all the funders who have made this project possible. Other than our major Heritage Lottery grant, Magnox has provided the largest share of funding and we thank them for their generosity. Without their support, we would not have been able to promote the community memory workshops or the schools projects, let alone establish the Snowdonia Slate Trail, which is expected to generate some £1.5 million per year for the local economy.”

The Snowdonia Slate Trail is anticipated to open in Autumn 2017.

Magnox Limited is owned and operated by Cavendish Fluor Partnership Limited on behalf of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.